This Week’s Paper

All the news, none of the paper
For the current week's full Rappahannock News  usually available by 9 p.m. Wednesdays  check out our eEdition, where you can sign up for your free four-week, no-strings-attached trial subscription!

Out of the Attic

Mail carrier Bobby Brown joins the Million Mile Club, Trinity Church returns from its Austrian sightseeing tour, CFC holds an open house and Easter is on its way in this week’s Washington column.Read More »

The photo in the Dec. 13, 1962 Rappahannock News touted the “facelift” being given to the corner of Main and Middle streets, seen here as you approached the corner from the north. “All of the old buildings on the left at the caution light are being torn down,” said the caption. “The Episcopal Church...Read More »

This is a picture of Raymond Lyle Rector, better known as Lyle, sent in recently by his daughter, Eleanor Rector James of Culpeper. The photo was taken in the early 1940s when Rector worked at Swartz’s Store – which is now the Corner Store, Thornton River Grille and Rudy’s Pizza. A little bit of...Read More »

From contributed reports The high-energy pan-Celtic band Iona will take the stage at the Theatre at Washington for the first time at 8 Saturday, April 16. The Washington, D.C.-based Iona describes its shows as offering “traditional Celtic material . . . original acoustic arrangements . . . lively entertaining presentation.” The group...Read More »

50 years ago January 19, 1961 On Friday, Jan. 13, the Republican dinner meeting at Cab Inn was well attended. After a delicious dinner was served by Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Thompsen, and the regular business was conducted, including the reading of a letter from Richard Nixon, a very informative speech was made...Read More »

50 years ago January, 5, 1961 The Rappahannock Rescue Squad met Jan. 2 at the fire house with 13 members present and Capt. Frank Huff presiding. After the reading and approval of minutes, a report was given on the last dance sponsored by the squad and held at Sperryville. Proceeds from the dance and...Read More »

10 years ago: County Attorney Peter Luke and County Administrator John McCarthy reported that the Sprint PCS cell tower application is still on hold, and that their appeal before the board of zoning appeals of the zoning administrator decisions regarding their application has been continued at their request, until Dec. 27.Read More »

50 years ago December 8, 1960 Rappahannock County supervisors held their regular December meeting on Wednesday the 7th with Chairman E. M. Jones presiding. Present were Supervisors L.H. Luttrell, Herbert Foster, E.M. Estes, and H. B. Wood. D. G. Wilfong of the Division of Forestry and Raymond Johnson, forest warden for Rappahannock, made a...Read More »

50 years ago December 1, 1960 Lyle Updike, 16, son of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Updike near Washington Va., won second place in the 4-H Livestock Judging Contest, held in connection with the International Livestock Exposition at Chicago. He judged classes of beef cattle, swine and sheep last Friday and on Saturday received...Read More »

In going through her cousin Brad Nicholas’ collection of their grandmother Zinn’s recipes recently, Rock Mills resident Hazel Zinn-Day came across a book of “Rare Rappahannock Recipes” originally compiled by the Woman’s Missionary Society of Woodville Baptist Church” in 1929, and updated by the missionary societies of the Woodville and Mt. Lebanon Baptist churches...Read More »

Hezekiah Ricketts built the Ricketts Hotel in Flint Hill in 1869 and it served travelers as well as locals, who used it as a rooming house. Two doctors had their medical practices here. At some point, a saloon occupied part of the space. From 1915 to 1940, girls from the Foxcroft School would stop...Read More »

John B. Kiger, a blacksmith and wagon maker, built Conestoga wagons in this location in the 1820s. It later became the home of the James Hitt family, shown here near the house. The house is still standing today on Main Street, Sperryville. Photo loaned to the Rappahannock Historical Society by the Estes family.Read More »

Photos/postcards were a gift of the late Ruby Green to the Rappahannock Historical Society. Earl Wayland first ran Bel Air Restaurant on U.S. 211 in Amissville, a popular dance hall, bar and restaurant. It was then taken over by Mary Hall in 1947, who turned it into Bel Air Tourist Cabins. Some locals fondly...Read More »

About three miles west of Sperryville in what is now Shenandoah National Park, students in grades one through six spent their days at the Atkinstown School, which ceased to exist when the park was created in the 1930s. In this photo, taken in the late 1920s, three of the students who posed for a...Read More »

Eleven members of the Hiker's Club started at the Pinnacles on Sunday, June 19 and took the trail to Thornton River Gap. The trail wound through woodland carpeted with moss and bordered with columbine and dozens of other wild flowers. Several times the trail came near the highway where some of the members tried...Read More »

50 years ago, June 30, 1960: The National Apple Institute has expanded its name to The National Apple Institute, the Apple Growers of American.
E. M. "Ned" Jones of Washington, Va., head of the Virginia State Apple Commission, was elected president of the Institute, which wound up its annual meeting on June 24. A budget...Read More »

Mayor and council ladies of the town of Washington will come up for reelection Tuesday, May 14. Not having qualified 60 days before election, as required by law, the election will be a write-in-vote. Mrs. Morgan Johnson has announced that she is not a candidate and will not accept the office of council lady...Read More »

On the evening of Friday, June 10 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The Sunday School of the Washington Baptist Church is entertaining at a reception in honor of Mrs. J. Frank Jones in recognition of her fifty years of faithful service in the primary department. All of her friends and former pupils are cordially...Read More »

This photo was taken at Rae’s Restaurant — circa 1982 — in Washington. You’re looking at the space today occupied by the Country Cafe, though Rae’s also included what is now the Post Office next door. It was sent in by Sandra Cartwright-Brown, who is seated at the table in front with Dan Lewis;...Read More »